Box-toe piece



- Nov. 5, 1929. RYAN 1,734,531

BOX TOE PIECE Filed Dec. 27, 1925 ATTOA /VEKS.

the

20 several points of view,

formed across Patented Nov. 5, 1929 I UNITED STATES ALBERT J. RYAN, orCINCINNATI, 01110 BOX-TOE PIECE Application filed December 27, 1923.Serial No. 683,079.

My invention relates to box toe pieces for shoes, same being the insertsof gum stiffened fabric which are employed within the shoe forstiffening the box toe.

5 In the production of box toes for shoes, the

usual material used for stiffening is a piece of felt saturated with ahardening compound, which compound is softened in some way, and thematerial placed into the shoe, between upper and the lining, whilemounting the lining on the last, and is subsequently ironed into shapeduring the wiping-in process wherein the shoe is made to conform closelyto the shape of the last.

My invention applies more particularly to box toe pieces of fabric(usually felt) which are saturated with a gum that is to be softened byheat prior to'insertion into the shoe. This form of box is the mostsatisfactory from one of which is that the piece sets and becomes hardmore quickly than a piece in which the gums are cut or softened by achemical.

The difficulty in any box toe piece is that the 25 line between the edgeof the piece at the vamp, where it crosses the shoe above the toe, islikely to be very apparent in the finished shoe, forming an unsightlyridge, which is concealed as far as possible by fancy work the upper,along this line.

It is the object of my invention to provide a box toe piece andtreatment therefor, which will result in a finished shoe in which thebox toe is stifl and permanent, but in which the edge at the vamp tapersdown to so thin a line that no apparent ridge is left in the shoe, thatshows through the upper.

It is an incidental object, if found desirable, to provide for a box toepiece which is flexible at the edges where it receives the seams orstitches that secure the piece in posi-, tion, but is otherwise stiff.

It is also my object to provide for the above features in a heatsoftened gum saturated box toe piece. I

I accomplish my objects by that certain process and that certain productto be hereinafter more specifically pointed out and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a box toe blank, which has been treated. I

Figure 2 is a section showing the thickness of the box toe piece aftersame has been put into the shoe and the shoe wiped in over the last, orthe upper otherwise ironed or smoothed down over the last.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one form of completed box toe piece.

Figure 4 is a section on the line H of Figure 3.

Referring to the box toe piece, I form a piece of fabric, such as thepiece 1, in the proper shape for abox toe piece, the fabric beingsaturated either in the piece, or as a blank, by a suitable heatsoftening gum, a number of which are on the market today and which havethe property of being plastic when heated but which are rigid and stiffwhen cool. A number of such preparations are well known in this art, twospecific examples being disclosed in the Andrews Patent #154,185 and theBeckwith Patent #1424535. I I

This piece I treat prior to its insertion into the shoe by dipping thedesired portion of its edges, particularly the vamp edge 2, into astrong'solution of an alkaline substance. Generally speaking any strongalkaline substance will serve, and the exact formula for alkalinesolution is not necessary. What is necessary is to chemically act uponthe gum at the desired portions of the edge of the blank, so that thegummy nature thereof is done away with, and as I presume, a saponifiedsubstance left.

The piece so treated is permitted to dry for a short time, but not longenough for the treated edge to become hard, and the piece is thenheat-treated to make it soft and is mounted in the shoe in the usualmanner for box toe pieces. The shoe is then treated in the usual mannerin the shoe factory, resulting in pressure being applied to the upper onthe last, so as to make it conform thereto.

This pressure also results in the saponificd substances of the edges ofthe toe niece being squeezed out of the felt to a large de ree, and theedge of the felt being attenuated? leaving no apparent edge except ofknife edge thickness. This edge I have illustrated in Figure 2 at thepoint 3.

If it is desired to preform the box, it can be treated as abovedescribed, and the piece placed over the preforming die, and pressureapplied as in wiping-in, wiich will result again in the saponified gumssqueezing out of the felt.

The manner of applying the alkaline substance is not a requisite, andbrushing or dipping may serve, and the piece need not be dipped untilpreformed, if desired. The chemical action will take place and the boxbe ready for insertion into the upper in my practise, in a few hours,but this can be tested out in the factory for best results, withdifferent forms of gum.

A chemical treatment to soften all of the gum of the box prior toinsertion thereof in the toe of the shoe will not give the results whichI desire, as this treatmentdoes not remove the gummy consistency of thematerial, and the cut gumsvwill retain their oily nature and will stainup, the shoe if pressure and wiping is applied while they are soft.

Where the entire edgerof the box toe piece is treated, in addition tothe box leaving an invisible tip line at the vamp, it gives a smoothshoulder, and hardens gradually after cooling, lying smooth on thebottom of McKay shoes, and can be pressed close to the inseam shoulderon the inner sole so as to make a perfect inseam on welt shoes. Theedge, known asthe shoulder, can be brought down smooth and free fromwrinkles. Also the edges of the box toe piece adjacent the points wherethe alkaline solution has fully saponified the gums, are resilient, andtend to hold the box against breaking down.-

I do not wish to be limited, however, to treatment of the complete edge,nor to any specific kinds of gums, heat softening or not, but considerthat my invention consistsin the provision of a box toe in which thecompleted box in the shoe has a stifiened body and an attenuated ortapered edge at the tip line or vamp, with or without flexibility; atthe inseam, "or other seaming points, dependent upon the style of shoe.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A box toe reinforcing process which consists in treating desired edgeportions of a gum saturated fabric toe piece with an alkaline solutionto chemically affect said gum in said fabric at saidedges, permittingsame to stand until chemical action takes place, softening the remaininggum in said fabric, and applying pressure to the toe piece to squeezeout the treated gums at such edge.

2. A box toe reinforcing process which consists in treating desired edgeportions of a gum saturated fabric toe piece with an alkaline solutionto chemically affect said gum in said fabric, permitting same to standuntil chemical action takes place, softening the unafiected gum in saidfabric, placing the toe piece into the shoe upper, and wiping-in theshoe prior to drying of the said treated edges.

3. A process for making shoes which consists in treating desired edgeportions of a gum saturated box toe reinforcement to change the gummyphysical properties of the edge portions and render them non-adhesive,then warming the reinforcement and inserting and shaping the piecewithin the shoe in such a fashion asto eliminate all wrinkles.

ALBERT J. RYAN.

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